See You In 2002
by MissKate
Summary: On New Year's Eve, Miss Parker is plagued by thoughts of the past and a phone call of the future...


**See You In 2002  
**_A "Pretender" Fan Fiction_  
_By MissKate_

A/N...Possible spoiler for IotH.

Miss Parker leaned back into the comforts of her sofa, stretching her legs in front of her as she closed her eyes. The new year was nearly upon the world and all she could think about was the past. Not of the ball dropping in Times Square. Not of how she was to spend the night alone, once again. Not even of her next trick to try to capture Jarod. No, it was the past that endlessly filled her mind tonight, as much as she tried to stop it.

Opening her eyes, she tried to force herself to focus on the here and now. The past was filled with pain, and Miss Parker did not show pain. Slowly, she rose and walked over to the kitchen to pour herself a drink. She let the cool alcohol gently wrap her thoughts, smiling as it began to do the trick. Taking the last sip, she frowned, displaying a look of anger and annoyance. Quickly, she slammed the small glass into the sink and walked away as the bits of glass jaggedly decorated its surface.

Lying back down, she drummed her fingers against the pack of cigarettes hidden beneath the sofa cushion but quickly stopped, gaining a little self-control. So badly she wanted to drink and smoke her way to happiness, to forget about all the troubles that had broken through her cold exterior...and all those times when Jarod had been there to heal those wounds. It seemed odd to her that the one man she had been relentlessly chasing, trained to capture, was the only one that could soothe her soul when she needed it. Sometimes, when she felt so lost and alone, thinking about Jarod made her feel...right. Like she wasn't just a pawn in the Centre's game.

Without noticing, her thoughts reverted to when she met Faith. Her friend, her sister. It had been so hard for her to believe that no; they wouldn't ever be able to be able to play together. No, she wasn't ever going to get better. No, they could never laugh together. She could still picture her innocent face and the thought of her angel allowed a single tear to fill the emptiness of the all too quiet room, but she quickly wiped it away. She remembered how she felt when she saw Faith's eyes close for the last time. She remembered whose eyes she could feel watching her tremble. She remembered how it was Jarod who had held her so tightly, letting her know that he was there for her and that she would always have his love. It was he that returned her beloved rosary to her. The one that her mother had given to her, that she had given to Faith. Yes, he had always been there when she needed something...someone.

Miss Parker shook her head, trying to rid her thoughts of Jarod. She had to remember that he was the enemy. Looking to the ceiling, she tried to flood the thoughts of him from her mind. She thought of the snow falling lightly outside her window, icing the world as so much had iced her heart. She thought of the broken glass in the sink, shattered like much of her heart. She thought of her father...where he was, if he was alive, and whether he was really her father or not.

She couldn't help but feel disgusted at the thought of Mr. Raines having any relation to her whatsoever. He was a disgusting, wretched man and she knew that she could never feel any amount of love towards him. The only man that she could feel for in that manner was the man she had been calling her father for so long. Him...and Sydney of course. They were the only two men in her life that could even resemble father figures to her. Mr. Raines couldn't just fall into that role because of a sudden discovery. Jarod was there to comfort her when she found out the truth, not only about her father, but also about the rest of the Parker line. It was on the Isle of Carthis, that awful, dismal island, that she and Jarod had found themselves rebuilding the bond that they had once began as children. She remembered how she couldn't bring herself to shoot him the multiple times she had the chance to. She remembered how he had found their way out of so many possible dead ends. She remembered how close they had come to intimacy before Ocee walked had through the door and startled them both. She remembered how they had worked so well together to uncover the truth. She remembered how he had tried to give her the strength she needed when it came time to face that truth. Yes, he had always been there when she needed something...someone.

Her cell phone rang and disrupted her thoughts, but she was glad. She had had enough of the walk down memory lane. Tiredly, she reached for the phone and cancelled its monotonous ringing.

"What do you want?" she questioned angrily.

"Is that anyway to welcome the new year?" the voice at the other end asked.

"Jarod."

"You were expecting someone else?" It was true. Their phone conversations had become sort of a...tradition, but each one continued to chill her. To know that she was talking calmly to the one man she was desperate to find, but to discover herself having almost no desire to leap from her seat and track him down was unnerving to her. Still, his voice carried a sense of sincerity that seemed to lull even her most painful cry and she came to want to keep that comfort.

"What do you want?" Her voice was harsh, angry.

"What? Can't an old friend check in?"

There was silence at the other end of the line.

"It's a holiday...A special night. You're sitting all alone." Jarod's voice was calm, genuineness breaking through the sarcasm.

"Do you think I don't know that?"

"I think that you are feeling haunted by your past."

He always knew. Somehow, someway...He always knew.

"Yeah, well...Memories can substitute for company sometimes."

"Especially those that make you smile."

Miss Parker felt her hand drift to her forehead as a grin slightly parted her lips. He knew her too well. "True," was all she needed to say.

"I'll see you in 2002, Miss Parker."

"In 2002," she repeated before the line cut off and she placed the phone back on the table. Content with her thoughts, Miss Parker slipped the blanket off of the back of the couch and placed it over herself. Whispering to herself she said, "Another year where you run and I chase."

THE END...

***

A/N...I just started watching "The Pretender" again, so I don't know how true to character this story was for Miss Parker and Jarod. I tried...Please leave your comments!!! =)


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